Hermione's Otter
by itsahaiilstorm
Summary: In the aftermath of the war, Hermione and Ron are in love and setting out to find her parents. When she finds an old book, does she finally realize her and Ron were always meant to be together? Is it destiny? POST DH. i love ONESHOTS. RonxHermione.


**June 23, 1998**

The war was over. Voldemort was over. Their fears were over. Lives were over. Bonds were broken.

Hermione sat in the kitchen of the Burrow eating breakfast with the present Weasley's. Molly and Arthur, Percy, George, Ron, Ginny, and Harry. Bill was at the Cottage with Fleur, Charlie back in Romania, and Fred... Fred was gone. _Fred's gone. _Hermione still couldn't grasp the fact that they had lost him. Fred, so full of life and happiness. The funeral was nearly a month and a half ago, but no one had gotten over the emptiness that was in the air.

"Will you excuse me." George mumbled quietly as he dismissed himself from the table. George was the worst. Everyday he'd come down for meals, and head straight back up into his bedroom. No one could go in, and he wouldn't come out. He spoke less than fifty words a day it seemed, and George was not improving. Not that Hermione had expected him, too. He had lost his twin, his half, a brother, a best friend... Fred was everything to George and George was everything to Fred. There wasn't one without the other, there just couldn't be... Hermione felt a warm hand on her thigh and looked up to see Ron smiling at her. He nudged his head towards the stairs, and she returned a nod.

"If you'll excuse us, Molly." Hermione said politely, "Ron and I must continue our preparations."

"Of course, dear, of course.." Mrs. Weasley answered as the two exited the table. Molly was miserable; she had lost a son and now another one was leaving on yet another dangerous journey after coming back from one. Hermione knew she couldn't bear to those either of them. Ron grabbed her hand as they made their way up the stairs.

Ron was the only good thing about life right now. They had finally admitted their feelings for one another, and Hermione couldn't be happier. Ron was hurting, too, almost as bad as George. He put on a strong face for his family to help them get through it, but when it came down to their alone time he would break down. Hermione would always be there to comfort him. He needed her and she needed him. Ron was the only reason for moving on, now. He was alive, and he was going to help her find her parents.

"When do think we should leave?" Ron asked as they reached his bedroom.

"In a few days." She answered as she let go of his grip, "I've got nearly everything packed already."

"Did you pack everything from our hunt, too?" Ron asked, "Just in case." Hermione nodded as she looked at the pile of books stacked by her bag. A thought popped into her head, and she nearly jumped out of her socks.

"Oh my gosh!" She exclaimed and fell to her knees. She reached under Ron's bed and pulled out a few books covered in dust. She heard a loud sigh next to her and she turned her head to see Ron standing above her.

"Books? You nearly gave me a blood heart attack over book?" He exclaimed. Hermione laughed and he joined along.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you like that."

"I thought you like, collapsed or something." He said as she joined him on the bed with the books. She crossed her legs pretzel style and sat across from Ron. She dusted off the first few books, and memories from Hogwarts came flooding back to her. Hermione smiled as she looked at the book, and then would hand it to Ron who would take a glance at it and then put it down. Ron was never a fan of text books, or any book for that matter. The next book in her pile, was covered in dust and the material made it very difficult to get all the dust off. It was a velvet like material, that had a soft touch and it took both of their efforts to wipe it clean of the dust and grime from underneath Ron's bed.

"Oh, look Ron!" Hermione exclaimed happily, "It's our Patronus Book!" Hermione flipped through the pages as it instructed how to conjugate a Patronus, concentration techniques, reasons to use one, etc., plus all the animals a Patronus can take the shape of. Hermione had always found it a quite fascinating book. "Ron, what's you're Patronus again?" Ron snarled.

"That bloody dog..." He answered. Hermione giggled as she recalled the name. _Jack Russel Terrier. _

"Ron I don't know why you dislike it so much." She answered, "Just because he is small, doesn't mean he's not strong. Dad always used to say dogs were very loyal pets." She finished talking just as she got to the picture. "Oh, here! 'The Jack Russel Terrier Patronus is known for their loyalty and protectiveness'- told you - 'and have a lively, energetic and hyperactive personality'." "Ron that sounds just like you!" Hermione exclaimed. She smiled at Ron and playfully shoved his shoulder, to which that he blushed and grinned as well.

"Go on, 'Mione."

"Well it doesn't say much more, just that 'they are particularly noted for... chasing otters in deep water'..." She trailed towards the end. _My patronus is an otter. _

"'Mione isn't your Patronus an otter?" Ron asked. Hermione nodded as she tried to find the page with the Otter's description. "Kinda strange, no?"

"Not really, Ron." Hermione said nervously. "The Patronus matches a person's personality and that description matched you perfectly." _However, it was kinda strange. _"Here, 'the Otter Patronus is known for their playfulness and intelligence'-"

"Hermione? Playful?" Ron snickered with a slight raise of his eyebrow. She lightly hit him the book, and he chuckled. "Well you are intelligent, I'll give you that." Hermione shook her head and looked back down at the page. Her eyes went wide at the next few sentences. _The Otter is in the same family as the Weasel (look up Weasel page 743). A fun fact about Otter's is that while they slumber, they hold hands so they don't drift apart. _

Hermione's mind shifted to _that _night at Grimmauld Place when they were on the run from Voldemort.

_ "What're you doing, 'Mione?" Ron asked. Hermione jumped back from the pillows, and set her tea down. She reached for her wand in her back pocket. These arguments sometimes got a bit out of hand._

_"What does it look like I'm doing?" She snapped back, "Fixing this mess."_

_"Well it wasn't a mess until you messed it up!" He shouted back._

_"Messed what up! There was already pillows and such all over the place!"_

_"Yeah I know! I did that on purpose!"_

_"Why?"_

_"To help you sleep better!"_

_"Oh yes, because my conscious will sleep peacefully knowing that all the pillows and blankets are a mess on the floor!" Hermione snapped._

_They rowed like this at least once everyday. So far, however, she had thought the two of them would've made it today without arguing._

_"That's not what I meant!"_

_"Then what did you mean for it to be exactly, Ronald?" Harry had stepped forward to block the attack that would sure come from Hermione after Ron's next answer, however, no answer came. When Ron didn't speak immediately, Harry and Hermione looked at their best friend who was red in the ears and face. His blue eyes were averted towards the ground and he clenched his jaw tight together._

_"It was for you to sleep on..." He mumbled so quietly Hermione hadn't heard him._

_"Come again?"_

_"For you to sleep on!" He exclaimed. Hermione jumped back in fear and scowled. "It was a bed I made for you!" A sudden silence passed through the room, until Ron continued speaking. "I figured, you know, if you weren't ready to sleep on your own yet you could at least be comfortable instead of sleeping on the ground with us. I thought it would get rid of whatever nightmares you had or something." Hermione's eyes went wide in shock. **He cares about me.** But suddenly, her eyes narrowed as a knew thought came over her. She hated when Ron would make her feel guilty and selfish. Hermione hated the way the boys always tended to her, and never let her do anything for them; **if anyone needed a good rest it was Harry. **_

_"Why would I do that?" She asked, "If you made the bed, you or Harry should sleep on it!" Ron moaned and turned away for a second before turning back to her._

_"God, Hermione just appreciate it okay?" He pleaded angrily, "If I wanted a bed I would've made it for myself. You need it more than we do." Hermione crossed her arms over her chest, and glared at Ron for a few moments before finally giving in. Truth was, she was rather tired and was sick of arguing for the night. _

_"Fine." She said, "But you're fixing it."_

_With much effort, Hermione had slept on her Ron-made bed that night. __She had been so frightened about what was to come, and Ron had taken a hold of her hand for reassurance. He had never let go, and she remembered feeling his warm hand stroke the top of her petite hand until she fell asleep. Ron happened to be right for once, and she slept through the entire night without waking once or encountering a nightmare. Instead, she dreamt of Ron._

"'Mione?" Ron's soft voice rang through her ears.

"Hm?"

"Something wrong?" He asked, "You spaced out."

"Oh, yes." Hermione replied and tried to lie. "I was just caught in the reading, that's all."

"Can I hear? You never finished talking about the Otter." Hermione let out a shaky breathe before averting her eyes back at the page on her lap.

"Uhm, 'The Otter is in the same family as the Weasel. A fun fact about Otter's is that while they slumber, they hold hands so they don't drift apart." She read. When she looked up at him, Ron was grinning like a maniac and she raised an eyebrow. "What are you smiling about?"

"Don't you think it's strange, Hermione?" He asked seriously, "The Otter is a type of Weasel... Weasley? Terriers chasing them, and how they hold hands while they sleep-like us that one night on the run."

"You remember that?" asked Hermione. It had been such a long time ago, and so much had happened between them she didn't think he'd remember such a small detail as that night.

"Of course I do." He said. Ron suddenly took the book from her lap and dropped it on the ground. He scooted closer to her and she happily sat in his lap. "You were so scared, and so I held your hand. It was the first step, to this. Bloody hell, I had never held your hand for more than a minute before that." Hermione giggled and pressed her lips into his neck. Ron moaned as she kissed gently on his skin.

"I think it's slightly ironic." She whispered.

"How?"

"Like you said, Ron. The Otter is a Weasel." Hermione explained, "It's like, you have a part of the Otter Patronus inside of you, and it's inside me."

"Are you saying this is fate?"

"Not unless you are."

"I am."

"Then so am I."

Hermione tiled her head up at Ron who smiled down at her. Their lips met and the kiss was gentle and light. They pulled away after a few moments, and just looked at each other. Hermione searched every ounce of Ron's gorgeous face; from the freckles, to the perfect teeth, to his ocean blue eyes, to his bright red hair. He was perfect. And he was hers. The way he looked at her with his eyes, and that grin in that moment, Hermione Granger knew she was in love with Ron Weasley. She had always been in love with him, and it was their destiny to be together. They fit to perfectly, and their arguments only showed how much they cared about one another.

"I love you Ron." Hermione said.

"I love you, too, 'Mione." Ron said as they snogged once more.

The war was over. Harry Potter was their hero. Peace reined over the Wizarding World. Lost ones were celebrated. And Love conquered all.


End file.
